- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962
You are here:
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
Opening Options
More Resources
Changes to legislation:
There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2013/3156 art. 4
- Act modified by S.I. 2013/3156 art. 8
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 11(4AA)-(4AC) inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 2(4)
- s. 11A-11K inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 3
- s. 14A(2A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 2
- s. 34(4A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 4
- s. 37A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 5
- s. 40(1A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 8(2)
- s. 40A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 9
- s. 41(1A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 10(3)
- s. 42(1ZA)(1ZB) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 11(4)
- s. 42(1ZC) inserted by S.I. 2019/564 art. 2
- s. 42(7) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 11(6)
- s. 46(3)(ca) inserted by S.I. 2019/564 art. 3
- s. 52A 52B inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 16
- s. 57A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 18
- s. 79(1A) inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(2)
- s. 112(3) repealed by 2010 c. 23 Sch. 2
- s. 122A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 41
- s. 130(3)-(3A) substituted for s. 130(3) by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 43(3)
- Sch. 9 para. 25(1) Sch. 9 para. 25 renumbered as Sch. 9 para. 25(1) by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 37
- Sch. 9 para. 4A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 30
- Sch. 9 para. 5A(1)(c) and word inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 31(2)
- Sch. 9 para. 5A(2)(3) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 31(3)
- Sch. 9 para. 12A(7A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 32
- Sch. 9 para. 17A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 35
- Sch. 9 para. 25(2)(3) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 37
- Sch. 10 Form 4 omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 20(a)
- Sch. 9 para. 5A(1) para. 5A renumbered as para. 5A(1) by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 31(1)
- Sch. 9 para. 5A(1)(b) word omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 31(2)
- Sch. 9 para. 32A(3)(4) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 39(3)
- Sch. 10 Form 5 words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 20(b)
- Sch. 7 Appendix Form 7A substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(11) Sch. 7
- Sch. 8 Appendix Form 8 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(12) Sch. 8
- Sch. 9 Appendix Form 9 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(13) Sch. 9
- Sch. 10 Appendix Form 10 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(14) Sch. 10
- Sch. 1 Appendix Form 3 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(5) Sch. 1
- Sch. 2 Appendix Form 4 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(6) Sch. 2
- Sch. 3 Appendix Form 5 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(7) Sch. 3
- Sch. 3A para. 10(1) Sch. 3A para. 10 renumbered as Sch. 3A para. 10(1) by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(4)(a)
- Sch. 3A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 19
- Sch. 3A para. 10(2) inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(4)(a)
- Sch. 3A para. 11(c) words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(4)(b)
- Sch. 3B inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 19
- Sch. 3B para. 13 inserted by S.I. 2019/564 art. 4
- Sch. 4 Appendix Form 6 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(8) Sch. 4
- Sch. 5 rule 26 amendment to earlier affecting provision 2001 c. 7 Sch. para. 19 by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 9(5)
- Sch. 5 form 5ZA amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2013/3156 Sch. by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 10(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 59 applied (with modifications) by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 50(7)(c)(8)
- Sch. 5 rule 16A(2) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 7
- Sch. 5 rule 21(1) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 10
- Sch. 5 rule 26(3ZC) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 16
- Sch. 5 rule 26(4) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 18
- Sch. 5 rule 34(1)(e) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 22(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 36(5)(a) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 25
- Sch. 5 rule 43(1) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 35
- Sch. 5 rule 44 excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 35
- Sch. 5 rule 45 excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 35
- Sch. 5 rule 64(1)-(6) excluded by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 40
- Sch. 5 rule 21(1) excluded in part by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 11
- Sch. 5 rule 5A(1A)-(1C) inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(3)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 5A(3)(c) inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(3)(c)
- Sch. 5 rule 3A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 47
- Sch. 5 rule 4(ca) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 48
- Sch. 5 rule 5(2A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 49
- Sch. 5 rule 9(5) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 50(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(2A)-(2C) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 52(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(5)(6) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 52(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 12A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 53
- Sch. 5 rule 16(2C)(2D) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 54(3)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 16(4) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 54(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 16A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 55
- Sch. 5 rule 21(3)(4) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 58
- Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(e) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 60(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(3ZC)(3ZD)(3ZE) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 60(5)
- Sch. 5 rule 27(1A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 61(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 32(5) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 66
- Sch. 5 rule 34(6)(j)(k)(l) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(4)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 34(6A) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(5)
- Sch. 5 rule 34A inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 69
- Sch. 5 rule 41(da) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 70(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 58(1)(da) inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 75(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 34(1A) inserted by S.I. 2013/3156 art. 3(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 6(8) inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(6)
- Sch. 5 rule 25(5)(6) inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(8)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 37(10) inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(10)
- Sch. 5 rule 37A inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(11)
- Sch. 5 rule 25(2A) inserted by S.I. 2014/1880 art. 3(2)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 5(5)-(9) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 3(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 9(6) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 4(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(1)(aa) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 5(a)(ii)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(2ZA)(2ZB) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 6(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(3A)-(3E) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 6(c)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(4A) inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 6(d)
- Sch. 5 rule 12A(2)(d) and word inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 7(b)(ii)
- Sch. 5 rule 56A inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 8
- Sch. 5 rule 37A(10A)(10B) inserted by 2001 c. 7 Sch. para. 24A (as inserted) by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 9(6)
- Sch. 5 rule 1 modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 4
- Sch. 5 rule 29(1) modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 19(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 32 modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 20(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 41(1) modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 29(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 58(1) modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 38(1)
- Sch. 5 rule 59 modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 38(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 59(7) modified by 2011 c. 1 Sch. 8 para. 38(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 37A modified by SI 2013/3156 Sch. para. 13A (as inserted) by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 10(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 16(2)(d) omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 54(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(b) omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 60(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 34(1)(a) omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 60(2)(3) omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 77(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 5(2)(b) omitted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 3(a)(ii)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(3)(3A) substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 51
- Sch. 5 rule 33 substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 67
- Sch. 5 rule 59(6) substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 76(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(4)(4A) substituted for Sch. 5 rule 10(4) by S.I. 2020/635 art. 5(c)
- Sch. 5 rule 61-64 substituted for Sch. 5 rule 61 by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 78
- Sch. 5 rule 5(2)(a) word inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 3(a)(i)
- Sch. 5 rule 20(2) word omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 57
- Sch. 5 rule 29(3)(a) word omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 63
- Sch. 5 rule 34(6) word omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(4)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 12A(2)(b) word omitted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 7(b)(i)
- Sch. 5 rule 27(2) word substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 61(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 60(1) word substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 77(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(6) word substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(3)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(7) word substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(3)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(8) word substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(3)(c)
- Sch. 5 rule 5(3) words inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(2)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 5A(2) words inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(3)(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(3A) words inserted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 9(1) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 50(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 16(2A) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 54(3)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 20(2) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 57
- Sch. 5 rule 25(1) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 59(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 25(3) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 59(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(2) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 60(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 31 words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 65
- Sch. 5 rule 41(1)(a) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 70(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 44(1)(b) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 71(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 45(4) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 72
- Sch. 5 rule 46(1)(d) words inserted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 73
- Sch. 5 rule 45(3) words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(12)(i)
- Sch. 5 rule 45(5) words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(12)(ii)
- Sch. 5 rule 57(2) words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(13)
- Sch. 5 rule 58(1)(c) words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(14)
- Sch. 5 rule 45(2A) words inserted by S.I. 2018/699 reg. 4(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 9(3) words inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 4(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(1) words inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 5(a)(i)
- Sch. 5 rule 10(3) words inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 5(b)
- Sch. 5 rule 12(2) words inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 6(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 12A(1) words inserted by S.I. 2020/635 art. 7(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 5(3) words omitted by S.I. 2010/1178 art. 4(2)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 27(4) words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 61(5)
- Sch. 5 rule 30(2)(a) words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 64
- Sch. 5 rule 34(6)(a) words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(4)(c)
- Sch. 5 rule 41(1)(e) words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 70(4)
- Sch. 5 rule 58(1)(d) words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 75(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 60 heading words omitted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 77(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 25(1) words omitted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(8)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 25(2) words omitted by S.I. 2014/1880 art. 3(2)(a)
- Sch. 5 rule 16A(3) words repealed by S.I. 2018/1310 Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (This S.I. is amended by S.I. 2019/1389, reg. 2)
- Sch. 5 rule 1(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 45
- Sch. 5 rule 1(3) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 46
- Sch. 5 rule 19(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 56
- Sch. 5 rule 27(1)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 61(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 28(a) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 62
- Sch. 5 rule 34(1)(c) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 34(8)(c) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 68(6)
- Sch. 5 rule 41(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 70(5)
- Sch. 5 rule 44(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 71(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 57(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 74
- Sch. 5 rule 59(1)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 76(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 59(2) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 76(3)
- Sch. 5 rule 59(7) words substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 76(5)
- Sch. 5 rule 21(1) words substituted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(7)
- Sch. 5 rule 26(3)(c) words substituted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(9)
- Sch. 5 rule 21(2) words substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(2)
- Sch. 5 rule 45(2A) words substituted by S.I. 2018/699 reg. 4(b)
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms amendment to earlier affecting provision 2001 c. 7 Sch. para. 29 by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 9(7)
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms form 5 asterisk and words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(16)(b)
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms form 5 asterisk inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(16)(a)
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms Form 6A inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(17) Sch
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms Form 7A inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(18) Sch
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms substituted by S.I. 2010/2977 Sch. 1 para. 79
- Sch. 5 Appendix Form 6A substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(9) Sch. 5
- Sch. 5 Appendix of Forms form 5 words inserted by S.I. 2014/1116 art. 6(16)(c)
- Sch. 6 Appendix Form 7 substituted by S.I. 2015/566 art. 2(10) Sch. 6
Commencement Orders yet to be applied to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962
Commencement Orders bringing legislation that affects this Act into force:
- S.I. 2011/1418 art. 2 commences (2010 c. 23)
- S.R. 2014/153 art. 3 Sch. 2 commences (2014 c. 8)
- S.R. 2016/387 art. 2 commences (2015 c. 9 (N.I.))
26(1)A person shall be guilty of an electoral offence if he without lawful authority destroys, mutilates, defaces or removes any notice published by the registration officer in connection with his registration duties or any copies of a document which have been made available for inspection in pursuance of those duties or any notice or document published or displayed by or on behalf of the returning officer in connection with any election.N.I.
(2)A person shall be guilty of an electoral offence if at any election he—
(a)fraudulently defaces or fraudulently destroys—
(i)any nomination paper; or
(ii)any ballot paper, or the official mark on any ballot paper, or any voter's declaration, or any official envelope used in connection with voting by post; or
(b)without due authority supplies any ballot paper to any person; or
(c)puts into any ballot box any paper other than the ballot paper that he is authorised by law to put in; or
(d)without due authority takes out of the polling station any ballot paper (whether issued to him or not); or
(e)wilfully or negligently without due authority, destroys, conceals, loses, takes, opens or otherwise interferes with—
(i)any ballot box or packet of ballot papers then in use for the purposes of the election; or
(ii)any sealed or other packet of papers or documents of any kind then in use or intended to be used for the purposes of the election; or
(iii)any ballot paper account or marked copy of a register prepared or used for the purposes of the election or any unused ballot papers.
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Act
PrintThe Whole Schedule
PrintThe Whole Part
PrintThis Section only
You have chosen to open The Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open Schedules only
The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
See additional information alongside the content
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
Timeline of Changes
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.